Auburn Department of Public Works locks up equipment after employee thefts

The Auburn Public Works Department has locked up its tools and taken additional anti-theft steps after discovering several of its employees stole $10,000 worth of equipment.

Under a new policy, workers now have to sign out and back in any hand or power tools they plan to use on a job. For the first time, the tools are locked in a cage, DPW Supervisor Jerry DelFavero said.

Workers are also under new orders to keep written records of any job-related purchases they make for the department - anything from a new tool to a gallon of paint to a piece of lumber, DelFavero said.

Chain saws are also under lock and key on DPW trucks and the department is looking at using computerized bar codes on all of its equipment and tools for better inventory records, he said.

"We never had these procedures before but it's something we probably should have had before. Unfortunately, it took this situation to change it and I'm hoping this works," DelFavero said.

The department started keeping closer tabs on its inventory after city police recently discovered that several employees - fewer than 10, according to DelFavero - had stolen everything from hand and power tools to several chain saws and a generator in recent years. None of the equipment was locked up.

City Manager Mark Palesh, acting on a recommendation from Giannotta and Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann, offered the employees one week in November to return the stolen goods.

In exchange, the workers - none of whom was named - could keep their jobs and avoid criminal prosecution.

City officials publicly disclosed details about the scandal to The Post-Standard on Wednesday.
"(The story) needed to be out there, now it's out there and now we've got to deal with it," DelFavero said.

Matthew Smith, a city councilor, said he supports taking measures to keep closer tabs on the DPW equipment and tools, but said he was left disheartened by the incident.

"This is embarrassing for the city and I wish it was handled better," Smith said.

Mayor Michael Quill declined to comment on the workers being let off the hook, but said he's hopeful the tighter inventory controls will stop any future thievery at the DPW garage.

"We should have had a better handle on it, now we'll get it done," Quill said. "We have to clean up our act and move on."

Scott Rapp can be reached at srapp@syracuse.com or 253-7316 or 470-3212.